Fredericksburg.com - Wayne Newton | Vegas icon proud of his local roots

BY EDIE GROSS

LAS VEGAS

--It was nearly midnight when Wayne Newton wrapped up a rehearsal in Branson, Mo., a few years back and the legendary entertainer was hungry.

So he and his wife hit a burger joint, and he took his first spin ever through a drive-through lane.

He noticed as he pulled up to the window that the cashier was looking at him funny. Newton, a performer since the age of 6 and a Las Vegas icon, figured she was itching for an autograph.

"Can I ask you a question," she said, handing Newton his food.

"Sure," he responded, anticipating her request and reaching for a pen.

"Are you an Elvis impersonator?" she asked.

Newton, 67, roared with laughter when he told the story in his dressing room at the Tropicana Resort and Casino last week. He and Elvis Presley were great friends and, to be sure, they had much in common--an enduring stage presence, legions of fans and a shock of thick black hair.

But the idea that Mr. Las Vegas could be mistaken for an Elvis impersonator, well, that was a first.

Virginia lawmakers shouldn't have any trouble recognizing Newton--a native Virginian--when he pulls into Richmond today to urge the General Assembly to formally recognize the Patawomeck Indians of Virginia.

Newton, who spent part of his childhood in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, says he's descended from the Patawomeck tribe. He agreed to lobby lawmakers after Chief Robert "Two Eagles" Green sent him a letter, asking him to write to the General Assembly on the tribe's behalf.

"I called him and said, 'Would it be more effective if I came there and delivered it myself?'" said Newton, who canceled his regular performance at the Tropicana's Tiffany Theater so he could appear in Richmond.

Eight other tribes, including the nearby Rappahannocks, already have state recognition, which opens the door to land protection and other important benefits. Newton, whose two daughters have been inducted into the Patawomeck tribe, is hoping his efforts will sway lawmakers.

"I am honored to have been asked," he said. "It isn't often you get to do something in life that means that much to you personally."

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Dressed in a black velvet smoking jacket and tuxedo pants, entertainer Wayne Newton chatted recently with a Free Lance-Star reporter and photographer in his Las Vegas dressing room and shared these nuggets:

Last movie seen: "The Hangover," in which he has a cameo
Last book read: "Dog Breath! The Horrible Trouble With Hally Tosis," which he read to his 7-year-old daughter before bed
Favorite TV fare: Westerns
Favorite music: The Bee Gees, Neal McCoy, Celine Dion, blues, country (he does not use an MP3 player)
Hobbies: tennis, horseback riding, flying helicopters
Pet peeve: rudeness
Favorite vacation spots: Montana and The Big Island in Hawaii, where he owns a 250-acre spread with seven waterfalls
Funny story about his youngest daughter: "When she was 3, she walked into the TV room and said, 'Prince Charming, can I have this piece of candy?' I said, 'Of course.' Her mother comes in right after her, saying, 'How dare you! I just told her no.' I said, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. First, I didn't know you'd already told her no. Second, anybody that calls me Prince Charming is gonna get a piece of candy.'"

Date published: 2/2/2010

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